English elite’s love affair with the world’s oldest cup now meanssweet
THE FA Cup will no doubt glisten and sparkle at Wembley come May. But the tournament has lost its shine as English football continues to lose its soul.
For the clubs that are bankrolled by billionaires and propped up by television money, it is as much of an irrelevance as it is a hindrance and it is sad to see the contempt that the famous competition is now treated with by some.
Those in charge of the English game can fall into that category as well.
The day that it was decided it was acceptable for the showpiece finale to the campaign to be played alongside Premier League fixtures was a sad one for all football fans.
A trip to Wembley on cup final day should be the aim for every chairman, manager, player and supporter at the start of the season.
Few clubs can set out with a chance of winning it, but they all should dream about going as far as they can. No kid has ever kicked a ball about the park and visualised scoring the goal that guarantees a mid-table finish.
The surprise wins so far this season have given us some great storylines, and maybe a nostalgic nod to the past and a time when the FA Cup was special to everyone.
In the third round ties earlier this month, Bournemouth boss Eddie Howe fielded a weakened and much-changed side for the trip to play League One Millwall. The Cherries, who lost to Preston in the third round of the EFL Cup in September, went down 3-0.
As for the fans that turned up to Dean Court and The Den? They just have unhappy memories and the embarrassment of seeing their side humbled by lower league opposition.
Millwall, though, a side with promotion ambitions of their own, had a fourth round tie to look forward to. On Sunday, they took another scalp as they beat Watford. They, of course, were understrength ahead of a game with Arsenal on Tuesday that is hardly going to define their campaign.
The previous day, the odds were upset twice in quick succession as Rafa Benetiz and Jurgen Klopp shot themselves in the foot and let down their supporters.
Newcastle, who regard themselves as a big club but haven’t won anything of note domestically since 1955, made nine changes for their fourth round trip to Oxford on Saturday. They were beaten 3-0.
Had Spurs not staged a dra- matic fightback against Wycombe Wanderers at White Hart Lane, boss Mauricio Pochettino would have faced the same criticism from his fans.
AThe Reds saw their League Cup dreams ended in midweek and have only a faint chance of lifting the Premier League title this term, but they also fielded an inexperienced side against Paul Lambert’s Wolves.
They lost 2-1 at home and got what they deserved.
The same can be said for Brighton. Boss Chris Hughton made nine changes to his side and saw them lose 3-1 to Lincoln City of the National League. The Imps saw off Ipswich Town after a replay in the previous round and reached the last 16 for the first time in 115 years with victory at Sincil Bank.
To say it is the ‘romance of the cup’ may be a bit cliché these days but at least Danny Cowley and his players understand the significance of the competition. They are writing their own history in a tournament that has so many wonderful tales to tell.
So, too, did Sutton United as they set up a fourth round tie at home to Leeds United yesterday. Only Garry Monk will know if he regrets the wholesale changes he made as his side were beaten 1-0.
By the time the ticker tape is falling around Wembley at the end of the season, it will no doubt be one of the English giants that are parading the silverware, with Chelsea, Arsenal, Manchester City and Man Utd all emerging unscathed over the weekend.
The fans of the likes of Liverpool, Newcastle, Leeds and Bournemouth will all tune in and wonder what might have been. That could have been them.
If only their managers had treated the FA Cup with the respect that it deserves.